With the COVID-19 pandemic closing businesses and places down in 2020, quarantine brought an era of creativity and various passions from the comfort of home, to cope with isolation. From learning to cook at home with YouTube videos, to upcycling fashion trends on TikTok, there was something for everyone. With the entrance of these hobbies emerged the art of crochet bringing millions across the globe to learn the skill of the needlecraft pastime.

Among this vast audience were sophomores Kim Doan and Alyssa Le. After befriending each other, the pair found a mutual interest between them: crocheting. The two later found other students who shared the hobby as well, and with the help of sponsor and English teacher Kelly Moore, Doan and Le founded the Crochet Club.

“In middle school, I had a mutual friend who crocheted and I thought it was something that could be impactful on the community,” Le said. “ I didn’t crochet at the time, but I thought it was an impressive hobby that she should share with everyone. Neither of us really acted on the idea of starting a club up until I befriended our club president, Kim. I found out she crocheted as well and passed the idea along.”

Le and Doan hope to develop a comfortable environment and a community for like-minded students with interests in crochet. The club hosts meetings 1-2 times a month where members can participate in mini projects, simple for beginners and interesting for intermediate level students. With an encouraging and positive atmosphere, members can easily connect with one another and learn & enjoy crochet together.

“I first learned about crochet through YouTube and social media during the year of quarantine when I had a lot of excess time on my hands as well as the anxiety of being pent up in my house,” Doan said. “To make the time pass by with meaning, I picked up crochet as just another hobby, not realizing what a proud impact and special place in my life it would come to take.”

Crochet usually consists of yarn and a hook which comes in various sizes, based on the thickness of the yarn. Through different ”stitches” or loops, the yarn is brought together to create a project. Crocheters can combine stitches in various projects to create items like tote bags, stuffed toys, or blankets. Doan’s favorite things to crochet are granny squares, which are versatile square designs that can be stitched to feature various patterns and can be connected together to create various different pieces like tote bags or cardigans. Crocheting these projects allows Doan a chance to release any stress or pent up anxiety in a simple manner.

“Crocheting has influenced me profoundly, as it has given me an outlet of my stresses and anxiety where I am able to relax and pour my energy into a project that makes me proud of my work and efforts,” Doan said. “Starting a project with a piece of string and a hook, but ending with a grown piece of art which you created with nothing but a few materials and a metal hook allows you to feel proud of your own accomplishments, and lets you realize the potential of your time and energy not wasted but converted into a mindful pastime.”

Crocheting has given Doan and Le an opportunity to unwind easily while simultaneously staying productive and engaged in a creative manner. For Le, crocheting has let her spend her time more happily and fulfillingly and away from scrolling through social media. The pair have been able to create and grow a close knit community of learning crocheters at OTHS and hope to achieve their goal to keep the passion of crochet strong in a comfortable space for the student body.

“Honestly, I wanted to help host a club that would let me connect with more people who crocheted, especially because it’s a hobby that anybody can enjoy and learn,” Le said. “ Not only is it relaxing, it can be rewarding to independently begin projects, use them, or finish them. Once you get into it, being able to support small creators and discovering what  you enjoy most out of crocheting makes you feel like you’ve unlocked a welcoming community you didn’t know you could be a part of.”